Hollis Seamon

For over a year, I've been part of a project for the Friends of the Kinderhook Memorial Library.  This project began with an amazing discovery in the library basement:  a turn-of-the-20th century, never-published book containing paintings, sketches and limericks by the writer Harold Van Santvoord.  We're finally ready to reveal this wonderful book to the world.  It's a great example of the folk art and humor of its time.  Here's a link to the brand-new video about the book, the author and his hometown of Kinderhook, NY.  Enjoy:

Last fall, I had a chance to write a flash fiction based on the image "Nested" by the terrific artist, Laura Christensen.  My story, called "Evening All Afteroon," was part of a show put on by the Albany Public Library, in which writers from the College of Saint Rose MFA program created writing prompts and poems/stories based on the work of local artists.  The project was called Written Response Requested and was tons of fun. 

Today's the day! Algonquin Young Readers has released the paperback edition of SOMEBODY UP THERE HATES YOU. It's also out in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, France, and Germany. And it's won some great awards: Fall 2013 Kids' Indie Next List Pick, 2014 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of 2013, Bank Street College of Education Outstanding Book of 2013, and Scholastic Book Clubs Selection. Let's hope that the paperback edition lands in many readers' hands!

http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1791

My story collection, CORPOREALITY, was awarded a gold medal from the Independent Publisher Book Awards (aka IPPY Awards), in the short story category!  It's in fine company and I'm so pleased. 

Some fun events are happening in May!

On Saturday, May 3, I'll be spending the day at the Hudson Children's Book Festival, along with tons of other children's and YA book writers.  It's a great celebration of all sorts of books for young readers.  Take a look at their web site:  www.hudsonchildrensbookfestival.com .  On the Friday before the festival, at 5:45 p.m., I'll be interviewed on WGXC radio about SUTHY and my other books.  Looking forward to a wonderful time!

On March 13, my SUTHY novel came out in Paris in its French translation, Dieu Me Deteste.  The publisher, La Belle Colere, has done an amazing promotion:  see it at www.facebook.com/labellecolere .  Viva la France!

And, today I heard that my story collection, Corporeality, is a finalist for Foreword Review's Best Book of the Year 2013, in the adult fiction/short story category.  See the list of finalists at https://botya.forewordreviews.com/finalist/2013 .

Somebody Up There Hates You is coming out around the globe in the next few months!  The Spanish-language edition, from Planeta Publishing, is now available:  the title is Alguien Alla Arriba Te Odia.  In France, a hard cover edition will soon be out from Anne Carriere Editions, as the very first title in their new imprint, La Belle Colere.  The French title is Dieu Me Deteste.  And in Germany, Random House is publishing the book as Einer Da Oben Hasst Mich. 

Somehow, a couple of months have just gotten away from me completely.  I've been very busy with events and interviews about Somebody Up There Hates You.  It's been great fun--a little hectic but exciting.

Here are links to some of my favorite interviews:

Joe Donahue on the Roundtable program at WAMC: http://wamc.org/post/somebody-there-hates-you-hollis-seamon

Only one week until the publication date of SOMEBODY UP THERE HATES YOU!

There are a bunch of readings, signings, and other events planned for the months of September and October.  Here's the list for September:

Tuesday, September 3rd

Publication date!!

Tuesday, September 10th:  Algonquin Young Readers book launch

7:00pm McNally Jackson Bookstore

Location: 52 Prince St, New York, NY 10012

Colorado Review has published a wonderful review of my story collection, Corporeality.   I thank the author of the review, Amanda Moger Rettig, for her careful and insightful reading of the stories.  Here's just a taste of what she's written:  "With deceptive quietness, Hollis Seamon's second collection of stories, Corporeality, offers a penetrating look at ten sets of lives.  These lives are stunningly beautiful, despite or--in Seamon's hands--because they are so ordinary."  Read the rest of the review at